Dependence of Tropical Cyclone Intensification on the Latitude under Vertical Shear

The sensitivity of tropical cyclone (TC) intensification to the ambient rotation effect under vertical shear is investigated. The results show that the vortices develop more rapidly with intermediate planetary vorticity, which suggests an optimal latitude for the TC development in the presence of vertical shear. This is different from the previous studies in which no mean flow is considered. It is found that the ambient rotation has two main effects. On the one hand, the boundary layer imbalance is largely controlled by the Coriolis parameter. For TCs at lower latitudes, due to the weaker inertial instability, the boundary inflow is promptly established, which results in a stronger moisture convergence and thus greater diabatic heating in the inner core region. On the other hand, the Coriolis parameter modulates the vertical realignment of the vortex with a higher Coriolis parameter, favoring a quicker vertical realignment and thus a greater potential for TC development. The combination of these two effects results in an optimal latitude for TC intensification in the presence of a vertical shear investigated.     

Acidity of Aerosols during Winter Heavy Haze Events in Beijing and Gucheng,China

We investigated the acidity and concentrations of water-soluble ions in PM_2.5 aerosol samples collected from an urban site in Beijing and a rural site in Gucheng, Hebei Province from November 2016 to January 2017 to gain an insight into the formation of secondary inorganic species. The average SO₄^2–, NO₃^–, and NH₄⁺ concentrations were 8.3, 12.5, and 14.1 μg m^–3, respectively, at the urban site and 14.0, 14.2, and 24.2 μg m^–3, respectively, at the rural site. The nitrogen and sulfur oxidation ratios in urban Beijing were correlated with relative humidity (with correlation coefficient r = 0.79 and 0.67, respectively) and the aerosol loadings. Based on a parameterization model, we found that the rate constant of the heterogeneous reactions for SO₂ on polluted days was about 10 times higher than that on clear days, suggesting that the heterogeneous reactions in the aerosol water played an essential role in haze events. The ISORROPIA II model was used to predict the aerosol pH, which had a mean (range) of 5.0 (4.9–5.2) and 5.3 (4.6–6.3) at the urban and rural site, respectively. Under the conditions with this predicted pH value, oxidation by dissolved NO₂ and the hydrolysis of N₂O₅ may be the major heterogeneous reactions forming SO₄^2– and NO₃^– in haze. We also analyzed the sensitivity of the aerosol pH to changes in the concentrations of SO₄^2–, NO₃^–, and NH₄⁺ under haze conditions. The aerosol pH was more sensitive to the SO₄^2– and NH₄⁺ concentrations with opposing trends, than to the NO₃^– concentrations. The sensitivity of the pH was relatively weak overall, which was attributed to the buffering effect of NH₃ partitioning.     

How Does Tropical Cyclone Size Affect the Onset Timing of Secondary Eyewall Formation?

By using idealized numerical simulations, the impact of tropical cyclone size on secondary eyewall formation (SEF) is examined. Both unbalanced boundary layer and balanced processes are examined to reveal the underlying mechanism. The results show that a tropical cyclone (TC) with a larger initial size favors a quicker SEF and a larger outer eyewall. For a TC with a larger initial size, it will lead to a stronger surface entropy flux, and thus more active outer convection. Meanwhile, a greater inertial stability helps the conversion from diabatic heating to kinetic energy. Furthermore, the progressively broadening of the tangential wind field will induce significant boundary layer imbalances. This unbalanced boundary layer process results in a supergradient wind zone that acts as an important mechanism for triggering and maintaining deep convection. In short, different behaviors of balanced and unbalanced processes associated with the initial wind profile lead to different development rates of the secondary eyewall.     

基于采样分布式估计器的多无人艇轨迹跟踪控制

提出了一种级联控制算法解决多无人艇（USVs）系统的分布式轨迹跟踪问题.这种控制算法可以分为两层：第一层是基于采样信息的分布式估计器,主要用于估计领航者的期望轨迹;第二层是每个无人艇的本地控制器,主要是结合滑模控制与神经网络径向基函数,在系统具有欠驱动、参数不确定性和扰动等因素的情况下,使其状态跟踪期望轨迹的本地估计值.为了求解上述跟踪控制问题,基于李雅普诺夫理论与级联系统理论,推导得到了所有无人艇位置状态收敛到期望轨迹的充分条件,并通过仿真结果验证了所提出控制方法的有效性与正确性.     

A STUDY ON THE ENSEMBLE FORECAST REAL-TIME CORRECTION METHOD

Using real-time correction technology for typhoons, this paper discusses real-time correction for forecasting the track of four typhoons during 2009 and 2010 in Japan, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. It was determined that the short-time forecast effect was better than the original objective mode. By selecting four types of integration schemes after multiple mode path integration for those four objective modes, the forecast effect of the multi-mode path integration is better, on average, than any single model. Moreover, multi-mode ensemble forecasting has obvious advantages during the initial 36h.     

改进的超级集成预报方法在长江三角洲地区O3预报中的应用

针对当前单模式系统臭氧（O₃）预报的不确定性问题,提出了一种基于活动区间的多模式超级集成的、高效的预报方法。本研究基于长江三角洲（长三角）地区多模式空气质量预报系统,将改进后的超级集成预报方法（AR-SUP）运用到2015年长三角地区的O₃预报中,并与滑动训练期的超级集成预报（R-SUP）、多模式集成平均预报（EMN）、消除偏差的集成平均预报（BREM）对比,结果表明AR-SUP对预报效果的改善最明显,其在暖季和冷季的均方根误差（RMSE）较最优单模式平均下降了20%和23%。将AR-SUP运用到48 h和72 h预报中发现,当预报时效增加时该方法依旧保持较高的预报技巧。多项统计数据均证明AR-SUP在研究时段内所有站点均能显著减小O₃预报误差、提高整体相关性和一致性,有效提高当前短期（三天）预报准确率。     

贵阳木本植物始花期对温度变化的敏感度

植物物候期的温度敏感度反映了植物是怎样及在何种程度上响应气候变化,研究不同物种物候期的温度敏感度有利于鉴别易受气候变化影响的物种。现有关于始花期的温度敏感度研究主要集中在温带地区,在亚热带地区研究仍较少。本文以位于亚热带的贵阳为研究区,利用1980-2014年60种典型木本植物的始花期观测资料,分析了该地区植物始花期变化趋势及对气温变化的敏感度,评估了样本量大小对敏感度估计稳定性的影响。结果表明：①研究时段内贵阳发生了明显的气候变化,年平均气温显著升高,其中春、秋季的增温比夏、冬季显著。②绝大多数植物(88.3%)的始花期在研究时段内呈提前趋势,其中显著提前的占物种总数的21.7%(P<0.05);60种植物始花期总体的提前趋势为2.89 d/10 a。③绝大多数(88.3%)植物始花期的年际变化与最优时段内平均气温呈显著负相关(P<0.05),所有植物始花期的总体敏感度为-5.75 d/℃。④样本量大小对温度敏感度估计的稳定性有显著影响,15年长序列能将敏感度估计结果的波动范围以99%的概率控制在2 d/℃之内。     

Macroseepage of methane and light alkanes at the La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles

Geologic seepage of methane and light (C₂-C₅) alkanes was measured at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Samples were collected using flux chambers with stainless steel canisters and analyzed using gas chromatography. Average seepage rates from individual seepage sites were 970 ± 330 mg/h of methane, 14.0 ± 5.5 mg/h of ethane, 9.1 ± 3.7 mg/h of propane, 3.7 ± 1.6 mg/h of i-butane, 0.33 ± 0.16 mg/h of n-butane, 260 ± 120 μg/h of i-pentane, and 5.3 ± 1.9 μg/h of n-pentane, while maximum seepage rates exceeded 17 g/h of methane, 270 mg/h of ethane, 190 mg/h of propane, 95 mg/h of i-butane, 10 mg/h of n-butane, 7 mg/h of i-pentane, and 0.1 mg/h of n-pentane. These absolute fluxes have an additional unknown amount of error associated with them due to sampling methodology, and should be taken as the lower limit of emissions. Samples collected revealed generally dry gas, with high methane emissions relative to the light alkanes. Overall emissions from the tar pits were found to come not only from the active geologic seepage, but also from the outgassing of the standing asphalt at the site. Using the gas ratios, which are negligibly affected by errors introduced by sampling methodology, observed in this study, daily emissions of C₂ – C₅ alkanes from the La Brea area were estimated to be 4.7 ± 1.6 Mg, which represents 2–3 % of total emissions in the entire Los Angeles region.     

Ozone structure over the equatorial Andes from balloon-borne observations and zonal connection with two tropical sea level sites

In this paper we present first-time measurements of ozone profiles from a high altitude station in Quito, Ecuador (0.19°S, 78.4°W, and 2391 masl) taken from June 2014 to September 2015. We interpret ozone observations in the troposphere, tropopause, and stratosphere through a zonal comparison with data from stations in the Atlantic and Pacific (Natal and San Cristobal from the SHADOZ network). Tropospheric ozone concentrations above the Andes are lower than ozone over San Cristobal and Natal for similar time periods. Ozone variability and pollution layers are also reduced in the troposphere above the Andes. We explain these differences in terms of reduced contributions from the boundary layer and from horizontal transport. In the tropical tropopause layer, ozone is well-mixed up to near the cold point tropopause level. In this regard, our profiles do not show constraints to deep mixing above 14 km, as has been consistently observed at other tropical stations. Total column ozone and stratospheric column ozone are comparable among the three sites. However, the contribution of tropospheric column ozone to total column ozone is significantly lower above the Andes. Our comparisons provide a connection between observations from tropical stations in equatorial South America separated by the wide continental mass. Identified differences in ozone throughout the atmospheric column demonstrate the global benefit of having an ozone sounding station at the equatorial Andes in support of global monitoring networks.     

Mapping the mean monthly precipitation of a small island using kriging with external drifts

This study focuses on the spatial distribution of mean annual and monthly precipitation in a small island (1128 km²) named Martinique, located in the Lesser Antilles. Only 35 meteorological stations are available on the territory, which has a complex topography. With a digital elevation model (DEM), 17 covariates that are likely to explain precipitation were built. Several interpolation methods, such as regression-kriging (????????, ????????, and ????????) and external drift kriging (??????) were tested using a cross-validation procedure. For the regression methods, predictors were chosen by established techniques whereas a new approach is proposed to select external drifts in a kriging which is based on a stepwise model selection by the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). The prediction accuracy was assessed at validation sites with three different skill scores. Results show that using methods with no predictors such as inverse distance weighting (??????) or universal kriging (????) is inappropriate in such a territory. ?????? appears to outperform regression methods for any criteria, and selecting predictors by our approach improves the prediction of mean annual precipitation compared to kriging with only elevation as drift. Finally, the predicting performance was also studied by varying the size of the training set leading to less conclusive results for ?????? and its performance. Nevertheless, the proposed method seems to be a good way to improve the mapping of climatic variables in a small island.